Warner Bros. has released the first Midnight Special trailer for Mud and Take Shelter writer/director Jeff Nichols’ upcoming sci-fi thriller. Michael Shannon stars as a father who goes on the run from religious extremists and local law enforcement in order to protect his young son (Jaeden Lieberher) and uncover the truth about the boy’s special powers.

Judging by this brief trailer, Midnight Special looks like it could be a very cool throwback to 70s sci-fi but mixed with just enough of our current sci-fi wizardry.  It's not driven by the visual effects, and instead it looks like Nichols has made another character-centric drama, but has found a unique spin on the material.  It also reminds me of Take Shelter--something supernatural is happening (although in the case of Take Shelter, it's more vague until the very end) and then find the reality of the situation.  Mark this down as one of my most-anticipated films of next spring.

Watch the first Midnight Special trailer below. The film also stars Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Bill Camp, Scott Haze, Paul Sparks, and Sam Shepard. Midnight Special opens in theaters on March 18, 2015.

Here’s the official synopsis for Midnight Special:

In the sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special,” writer/director Jeff Nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time, as a father (Michael Shannon), goes on the run to protect his young son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), and uncover the truth behind the boy’s special powers.

 

What starts as a race from religious extremists and local law enforcement quickly escalates to a nationwide manhunt involving the highest levels of the Federal Government. Ultimately his father risks everything to protect Alton and help fulfill a destiny that could change the world forever, in this genre–defying film as supernatural as it is intimately human.